Westminster lobbies against new Thames bridge

Plans for a new cycle bridge across the River Thames in London are facing opposition from Westminster City Council – because local gardens and a yachting base would be affected.

Transport for London is planning a new bridge between Nine Elms, by Battersea Power Station, and Pimlico. Nine Elms is being extensively redeveloped, and cycling improvements are a key part of the proposals.

The preferred location for the bridge is from the American Embassy, on the south bank, to Pimlico Gardens on the north side. However, Westminster City Council – generally thought to be the least bike-friendly of all the London councils – is campaigning against this location. They say:

“Officers remain unconvinced about the need for a new bridge and continue to reiterate Westminster’s serious concerns about the likely impact of the bridge in the proposed location (residential amenity, highways impact, loss of public open space and trees etc). Our preference, should proposals for such a bridge proceed, is for an alternative location adjacent to the existing Grosvenor Rail Bridge. No funding has been secured to date and formal consultation will not take place until June 2014 at the earliest.”

Westminster’s approach to the new bike bridge contrasts with their attitude to the proposed (pedestrian-only) ‘Garden Bridge’ across the Thames, which they describe as “overwhelmingly supportive”.

Local Liberal Democrats are also opposed to the new bridge. They say:

“We have been very concerned re: the impact of this option on the local road network and the environment on the north side of the river, notably on the existing open spaces and trees in Pimlico Gardens. Some trees would have to be removed. There would also be a significant impact on the Westminster Boating Base, and residential amenities would be affected as well. The Westminster and City of London Liberal Democrats, along with Westminster Council, have suggested that a more suitable location for the bridge would be adjacent to the existing Grosvenor railway bridge. This would better link the Battersea Power Station with Victoria. It would also be cheaper and greener.”

TfL has acknowledged the Grosvenor railway bridge alternative as a possible alternative to the all-new bridge. Its location close to Chelsea Bridge would mean that fewer new journey opportunities were opened up for cyclists, whereas the new bridge would link with the proposed Cycle Superhighway 5 in Pimlico, which has been altered to run up Belgrave Road. However, those arguing for the Grosvenor option say that it would be more convenient for Victoria railway station.

The bridge is expected to carry 9,000 cyclists and 9,000 pedestrians every day. It would be 7.5m wide and would cost an estimated £30m to construct. No funding has yet been identified for the project.

Eye-level cycle signals could be a common sight

Car drivers’ favourite moan about cyclists is that we skip red lights – rarely recognising that most such lights are introduced to tame cars, not bikes. 

Now, low-level special traffic lights for bikes are starting to appear in Britain, with the second such set to be installed in Norwich.

A major cycling scheme called ‘Push the Pedalways’ proposes to create contraflow cycle lanes on two busy city streets, Magdalen Street and Cowgate. The City Council recognises that local cyclists, exasperated at having to take a long diversion around these one-way streets, have taken matters into their own hands and customarily cycle on the pavement instead.

As part of this, new traffic lights will be installed at cyclists’ eye level, making them easier to see. Such lights are common in Europe but have only been installed at one location in Britain – the notorious Bow Roundabout in East London. According to Local Transport Today, the Department for Transport, which has to approve new designs, has suggested it will “look favourably” on these new signals.

Another traffic light innovation is to be tried in Oxford. The light-controlled junction with Longwall Street and ‘the High’ is notorious for encouraging racing, as buses, cars and bikes jostle to get ahead on their way to the Plain roundabout. As part of its planned changes to the Plain, Oxfordshire County Council is proposing to install a special cycle green light, which would give cyclists a five-second head start. Again, special permission will be required from the DfT.

Bike-carrying buses are just the ticket

The Isle of Wight’s coast is an all-time favourite ride – but if you don’t want to tackle the whole circuit in one go, new bike-carrying buses could be just the ticket.

Local bus company Southern Vectis is fitting bike storage to its four ‘Coaster’ buses. The Isle of Wight Council is paying for each bus to get six bike spaces – the same amount as on an InterCity train. (The Isle of Wight, of course, has London Underground’s cast-off trains.)

Four journeys will leave per day from either Ryde or Yarmouth, with some extended to include East Cowes and Newport, providing a round-the-Island connection for cyclists. It will mean cyclists can now visit local attractions or areas they would normally drive to using public transport instead with their bicycles.

Luisa Hillard from Isle of Wight Council said:

“The project will support cyclists getting from the ferries, to and from their accommodation and to the tourist attractions in more remote locations and will be particularly useful for those who may not feel able to cycle long distances but enjoy cycling locally. It will strengthen the reputation of the Isle of Wight as one of the best places for a cycling holidays in the world.”

General manager of Southern Vectis, Matt Kitchin, added:

"The Coaster route has proven to be tremendously popular as it is a great way to see the Island and visit attractions without the hassle of driving. The addition of space for bikes on board gives more opportunities for cyclists to get out and about, enjoying the scenery without relying on a car."

The cycle-carrying buses are part of a new scheme, ‘Bicycle Island’, which aims to bring more cycle tourists to the island. The newly converted Coaster buses will begin service from 5 April and will run daily until 28 September. There is no charge to carry bicycles on the buses other than the normal passenger fare. The mechanism used for storing the bicycles has been designed by two local engineering students.

Old railway line becomes Wolverhampton cycleway

A long-disused railway line is to be converted into a new urban cycleway for Wolverhampton.

The old branch line from Priestfield to Wolverhampton city centre is to be cleared and tarmaced at a cost of £290,000. The work will be carried out by transport authority Centro and Wolverhampton City Council.

Cllr Judith Rowley from Centro said: 

“This is a really inventive way to make use of a rail line which has been unused for more than 40 years. The route was already in place so it seemed a perfect opportunity for us to create an off-road cycle route in this part of Wolverhampton, which will also serve as an ideal footpath. Cycling and walking can help cut congestion on our roads as well as having clear benefits for both people's health and the environment and we hope this infrastructure will contribute to all of these things.”

The route will provide a direct route from residential areas into central Wolverhampton – as well as Monmore Green Greyhound Stadium!

Meanwhile, two more cycle routes are being planned nearby along the A41 road to link Wolverhampton with Bilston.

Ordnance Survey launches cycling app

You might have thought it was the Institut Géographique National’s role to map the Tour de France – but with the ride coming to Britain this year, the Ordnance Survey is getting in on the act.

Britain’s national mapping agency has launched a new app, ‘OS Ride’, with the endorsement of former Tour rider and British cycling personality, Chris Boardman.

It contains free mapping for all three British stages of the 2014 event, as well as OS maps for historic stages of the tour when the world’s most famous cycle race came to Great Britain in 2007, 1994 and 1974. Each stage has also been split into smaller segments, so that those who don’t want to tackle a lung-busting 200km can attempt a smaller part of the challenge.

The app also includes five bonus routes selected by Chris Boardman, featuring some of his favourite rides from across the country, including Aviemore, Lyme Regis, Llandegla, the Peak District and the Lake District.

Features include elevation plans, speedometer, and the ability to tweet or share your time. According to Chris Boardman:

“OS Ride allows keen cyclists to record, track and share their stage achievements for both the 2014 stages and historic stages from previous tours. I especially like the option to ride smaller segments of the stages, making it accessible for a wide range of abilities and a great tool to support training programmes. This app is a must have for any keen road cyclist with unrivalled mapping accuracy showing added detail including height and elevation data. The digital maps also feature valuable tourist information for those planning to make the most from the areas surrounding the tour stages."

The app is available exclusively for Apple iPhones and iPads and is free to download from the App Store.

And for those with a less masochistic bent, cycle.travel will be launching an app later this year – watch this space.